graves



(No Model.) L S GRAVES 2 -Sheets-Sheet 1.

SLACK CABLE STOP MOTION FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 386,464. PatentedJuly 24, 1888.

Inventor.

;} his fiiiorneys,

Witnesses,

(No.Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 2 L. S. GRAVES.

SLACK CABLE STOP MOTION FOR ELEVATORS.

No. 386,464. Patented July 24,1888.

Inventor. 6%

"VIE-finesses.

I 7;; 8 Hit 0% N PETERS, Pholn-Llmogmplmr. Washington, 04c,

UNITE STATES ATENT Tron.

LORENZO S. GRAVES, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO L. S. GRAVES &SON, OF SAME PLACE.

SLACK-*CABLE STOP-MOTION FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,464, dated July24:, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, LORENZO S. GRAVES, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Slack-Gable Stop- Motions for Elevators; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, and to the figures and letters of reference markedthereon.

My invention relates to improvements in devices applicable tohoisting-machines generally, but particularly for use upon the class ofelevator-operating machines adapted to rest upon the floor or othersuitable base, for preventing accident resulting from the continuedunwinding of the suspending cable after the car or weight attached hasceased moving from some cause other than the manipulation of thecontrolling rope or cable by the operator, and it has for its object toimprove the construction and operation of said devices, and reduce thecost of manufacturing and setting up said machines; and it consists incertain novel constructions and combinations of parts, all hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of thisspecification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly insection, of a hoisting apparatus, showing the application of myinventionthereto; Fig. 2, an end view of the same, showing in dotted lines someof the parts; Fig. 3, a sectional view of the end of the drum and shaftand the clutch operated by the slack cable stop; Fig. 4, an end view ofthe movable clutch-section. Fig. 5 is a view ofthe brakeoperatingmechanism.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The construction of the winding apparatus will be but generallydescribed, as itsrspecific construction, except as specified in theclaims, forms no part of my present invention.

The baseA is constructed with suitable standards, A A containingjournal-boxes for the drum B, which latter is provided with hollowtubular bearing portions 13 Bat the ends, restingin said jou rnalbearings in standards A A. On one end of the drum is provided a wormwheel, C,with which engages a worm, G, supported in hearings on the base, andhaving at one end the ordinary fast and loose pulleys, around which adrivingbelt is passed in the ordinary manner and adapted to be shiftedfrom loose to fast to start and from fast to loose to stop thewinding-drum.

Passing through the journals of the drum B and projecting at oppositeends is a shaft, E, on one end of which the wheel E is secured, to whichthe hand-rope passing in proximity to the car is attached; also securedto this shaft isa gear, F, meshing with another gear, F, supported inbearings in standard A, and connected with the belt-shifting device or aclutch, its equivalent, in any suitablemanner.

In the brake mechanism shown in Fig. 5, when the belt-shifting devicesare moved to position to stop the elevator, the cam l releases arm 3 ofthe three-arm lever 2, pivoted in suitable hearings in the standard; andarm 5, being in engagement with the spring 7 in a direction to hold thearm 3 in contact with the cam, and the brake shoe on arm 4- in contactwith brake-wheel 8, quickly stops the motion of the shaft, as will bereadily understood.

It will be seen that by the rotation of shaft E in the proper directionthe belt will be shifted to start or stop the rotation of thewinding-drum.

\Vithin the drum B the shaft E is provided with a screw-threadedportion, 0, and upon this is mounted a. separable nut, G, provided withclutch-teeth g g on opposite ends and free to move thereon toward theends when ro'tated. On one side it is provided with an extension, G,connected by a rod, H, and hook or ring II with the interior of the drum13, so that as the latter rotates the nut is carried with it, and as theshaft E is normally stationary said nut will move toward one or theother end of the shaft by reason of the thread.

At suitable distances apart on the threaded portion of said shaft E areprovided nuts I I, adapted to be adjusted to suitable distances apart,regulated by the height of the building, and secured in said adjustedposition in any suitable manner, preferably, however, by tightlyclamping the securing-bolts i t, as will be readily understood; andthese nuts are further provided with clutch-teeth t" on their innerproximate sides corresponding with and adapted to be engaged by theteeth 9 on the central movable out when t-he latter reaches its extremesof movement.

From the above it will be seen that when the required amount of cable isunwound from the winding'drum and the car is in lowest position, theteeth on the traveling nut G will engage those on one of the nuts I,turn the shaft in the proper direction, shift the belts through themechanism described, and stop the unwinding of the cable, and also whenthe car is in highest position the teeth on the opposite side of nut Gwill engage the other nut 'I, rotate the shalt in the same direction,shift g the belts, and stop the winding as before.

The end of the bearing of the winding-drum opposite the worm-wheel isprovided with a disk, J, having teeth j thereon forming one member of aclutch, the other member being formed by a sleeve, H, having a disk, K,with recesses corresponding to teeth j on the disk J, and being furtherprovided with a groove,

h, for the accommodation of a collar, L, to.

which areconnected studs Z Z on the end of a bifurcatedbell-crank-shifting lever M pivoted on the standard A Shaft E isprovided with a spline, E, engaging a corresponding groove, E in thesleeve, so as to be rotated by it, but permitting its free longitudinalmovement thereon, caused by lever M.

It will be understood that instead of the form of clutch shown any othersuitable one could be employed, and also that the featherand-grooveconnection described could he varied in any suitable manner.

Slightly below the winding-drum and extending from end to end thereof isa bar, N, connected at opposite ends to levers N, the whole constitutinga frame pivoted to the base at one end and capable of a limited motiontoward and from the surface of said drum, as in Fig. 2; and one of theselevers, N, on the side toward the standard A" is provided with anextension, a, passing beneath astirrup or loop, 0, secured to the base.Through the top of this loop (which in effect constitutes a stop, ashereinafter described) is a perforation, through which projects athreaded connecting rod, P, also preferably passing through the end ofextension 12 of the lever, and a head or nut, 11, is preferably locatedon the end of said rod beneath extension n, as shown, so as to adjustsaid rod, if desired.

' Upon the rod P above the loop is screwed a collar or stop, q, adaptedto be adjusted up or down thereon,and between this collar. and the loopis interposed a spring, Q, encircling the rod, as shown, and operatingto pull upward with a light pressure,snpporting the bar N in closeproximity to the surface of the drum,but permitting its ready depressionagainst said spring by a very slight weight applied to it. Thehorizontal arm of bell-crank m is provided with a perforation in itsend, (or is forked, which will answer the same purpose,) through whichpasses the rod P, and between an adjustable nut or nuts, n, in the endof the latter and said lever end is interposed a spring, Q, resting uponthe lever,while its tension can be adjusted by the nut, which can thenbe secured in adjusted position.

Any'other suitable form of connection can be made, however,-and I do notdesire to be confined to precisely the arrangement shown.

From the above the operation of my invention'will be apparent.

When in normal operation, the clutch J K is disengaged, the horizontalportion of hellcrank M raised, bar N held in close proximity to thesurface of the drum by its spring Q, while the operation of themechanism is governed by the operator through the hand-rope and shaft E,the operation at the extremes of the movement being governed by thestops on shaft E automatically, as before described.

As before stated, it sometimes happens that an elevator-car is arrestedor prevented from descending by reason of some obstruction in thehatchway or on its guides, and the cable, still unwinding from thedrum,piles upon the car, leaving the latter at the mercy of theobstruction, withthe added danger of weight of cable upon it, tending toloosen and cause it to drop; but when this happens the cable will ofcourse be loosely removed from the drum, and coming in contact with thebar N will press it down and, through rod P, spring Q, and lever M, movethe clutch section K into engagement with the drum, causing the rotationof shaft E and the shifting of the belts to arrest the unwinding of thecable. As soon as the obstruction is removed and the cable wound againand lifted from the bar, the spring Q raises the said bar until thebell-crank releases the clutch, returning the parts to first ormormalposition.

The spring Q, interposed in the connection between the bar and clutch, Iregard as important, in that by its employment the liability of breakingthe parts, should the lugs or teeth on the clutch fail to enter theirrecesses when first moved, or from any other reason, is obviated.

Numerous modifications can be made with out departing from the spirit ofmy invention, and I do not therefore desire to be confined totheparticular details herein shown. The particular hoisting-machine notbeing essential, I

do not desire to be confined to the details of its construction inconsidering the claims hereinafter noted, except in so far as suchlimitations are expressed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In ahoisting-machine, the combination of the winding-drum, the mechanism forrotating it, the shaft passing through the journals of the drum, tovwhich the hand-rope wheel and the starting and stopping devices areconnected, the clutch-section formed on the drum,

the movable clutch-section mounted on the hand-rope shaft, the frame orbar arranged in close proximity to the surface of the drum, andconnections betweenthe movable clutch portion and the frame, wherebyupon the movement of said frame away from the drum the clutch will bethrown into engagement, substantially as described.

2. In a hoisting-machine, the combination, with the winding-drum,mechanism for rotating it, a starting and stoppingmechanism, thehandwheel shaft connected to said last-mentioned mechanism extendingthrough said drum, the clutch-section on the drum, the clutch-section onthe handwheel shaft, and a bell-crank lever for movingit into connectionwith the section on the drum, of a bar or frame arranged in proximity tothe surface of the drum, and connections between said frame and themovable section of the clutch, whereby when the former is moved awayfrom the drum the clutch will be thrown into operation, substantially asdescribed.

3. in a hoistingmachine, the combination of the hoisting-drum, mechanismfor rotating it, and a shaft to which the starting and stoppingmechanism is connected, a clutch interposed between said drum and shaft,a bar arranged in close proximity to the surface of the drum, a leverconnected to the cl uteh for operating it, and a spring interposedbetween and forming a connection between the bar and theclutch-operating lever, substantially as described.

4. In a hoisting-machine, the combination, with the hoisting-drum,mechanism for rotating it, and a shaft to which the starting andstopping mechanism is connected, of a clutch interposed between saiddrum and shaft, a bar arranged in close proximity to the drum, a leverconnected to the clutch for operating it, and a spring-connectionbetween the lever and bar, whereby motion will be transmitted therefromonly through the interposed spring, and a spring supporting said bar andholding the clutch normally disengaged, substantially as described.

In a hoisting-machine, the combination, with the hoisting-drum,mechanism for rotating it, and a shaft to which the starting andstopping mechanism is connected, of a clutch interposed between saiddrum and shaft, the bell-crank lever having one of its arms connceted tothe movable clutch-section, a bararranged in close proximity to the drumhaving an extension, the rod connected to the extension, two stops onthe rod, the loop or stop through which the rod passes, a springinterposed between one of the stops 011 the rod and the loop, andthespring interposed between the other stop on the rod and the end ofthe bellcrank lever operating the clutch, substantially as described.

LORENZO S. GRAVES.

Vitnesses:

FRED. G. Gnavns, Z. L. DAVIS.

